Truck side bearing



Feb. 5, 1946. 5.1. ELLIS ETAL 2,394,153

" TRUCK SIDE BEARING Filed March 27. 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 5, 1946.

E. J. ELLIS ETAL TRUCK SIDE BEARING Filed March 27- 1944 2 Sheets-She s: 2

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35 INVENTORg.

ZZZ ward JI' Z146, BY fialcaimfiJalzma' Patented Feb. 5, 1946 TRUCK SIDE BEARING Edward J. Ellis and Malcolm s. Johnson, Chicago, 111.; said Johnson assignor to said Ellis Application Meet 27, 1944, Serial No. 528,309

' 4 Claims. '(01. 308 138) Our invention relates to a railroad car truck side hearing which is self-contained for adjustment to obtain the necessary car-body clearance as specified by the A. A. R. rules, without requiring change to be made in the car body side bearing and without requiring removal of the truck from beneath the car.

The invention has for its object the provision of a side bearing which eliminates the use of special shims, or other separate elements, and hence obviates the time, labor and expense heretofore incurred in the removal of previously inserted elements or in the insertion of special shims beneath the center bearing; our improved side bearing requiring no change to be made in the body side bearing or in the car center bearing; the bearing consisting of a self-contained unit adapted .to be immovably securedto the truck bolster and adjustable, relative to the car body while in place on the car truck. a

The aforementioned objects and advantages of our invention, as well as other advantages inherent in the construction, will all be readily comprehended from the following detailed description of the accompanying drawings wherein-'- Figure 1 is a top plan of the side bearing.

Figure 2 is a top plan of the bottom member of the bearing.

, Figure 3 is a bottom plan of the top member of the bearing.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the side bearing.

Figure 5 is a similar view taken at right angles to the view in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 1 as viewed by the arrows.-

Figure 7 is a similar view taken substantially on the line 5-7 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Our improved side bearing for railroad cars has been designed to enable required adjustments to be made, initially and after installation, in keeping with the required clearances to be maintained between the truck and body side bearings without necessitating its removal or removal of the car truck, as, however, is the case with side bearings at present in use. 7

With constructions as at present employed, when adjustment of the side bearings, is necessary to provide the required A. A. R; clearance between the car body side bearing plate and the truck side bearing, the'car must be taken to the shops where removal of the truck from beneath the car can be made in order to permit special shims to be placed beneath the center'bearingon the truck to sufliciently elevate the car body, cs-

pecially where the center bearing has become worn; Or to remove any shims that may have been initially employed beneath-the side bearing in an effort to reduce the initial side bearing clearance to the requirements of the A. A. R. rules. Such operations, as is apparent,-aside from requiring the car to be taken into the shops, necessitates, either the driving of a proper shim or plate beneath the center bearing on the truck, or the cutting of rivets whereby the initially inserted shim was secured to the body bolsterbeneath the side bearing plate. These operations involve considerable time, labor and material and hence great expense, as well as loss of car service.

Our improved side bearing is designed to elimi-- nate this expense and loss of time in car service as adjustments to obtain the required clearance can be made by merely jacking and blocking the car body without removing the truck and then rotating the movable element of the bearing a predetermined extent to provide the required clearance without need for dissociating the elements of the bearing.

The specific embodiment of theinvention shown in the drawings involves a casting or main body member Ill, preferably'provided with the radially disposed apertured flanges ll, ll, ll,

whereby the body member ll] may be riveted or otherwise immovably secured on the truck bolster (not shown) of a railroad car. The main body is preferably annular and of predetermined height and terraced or oiT-set to provide an annular or ring-like terrace I2 and a second or upper annular terrace l3 which constitutes the top of the casting and is surrounded by the lower ringlike terrace 12 at a predetermined distance therebeneath.

The lower ring-like terrace I2 consists of a plurality of segmental surfaces arranged in different levels and of equal length; there being six segmental surfaces in the particular embodiment shown, with the segmental surfaces disposed diametrically opposite ach other arranged in the same level, thus providing three elevations in the ring-like terrace l2 as more clearly shown in Figure 2 where the two segmental surfaces l4, M are in the same level or plane; the two segmental surfaces l5, l5 are in the same level andin a plane a predetermined distance above the plane of surfaces l4, I4; while the two segmental surfaces lfi, l-B are in the same level and in a plane a predetermined distance above the plane of surfaces l5, l5. Each segmental surface, preferably interme: diate its ends, is provided with an upwardly dis:

posed lug I I. The lugs I! are all identical in construction, except that the tops of the lugs ll of the pair of segmental surfaces I 5, I5 extend into a plane above the pair of lugs I! of surfaces I4, I4; and the pair of lugs of surfaces I5, I6 extend into a plane above that of lugs I! of surfaces I5, I5.

mental surfaces of the lower terrace I2, thus providing three elevations in the upper annular terrace I3. That is to say, the upper terrace is provided with oppositely disposed sectoral surfaces .I8, IB, radially aligned with the adjacent ends of segmental surfaces I5 and I6 of the lower terrace I2; oppositely disposed sectoral surfaces I9, I9, arranged in a predetermined plane slightly above the plane of surfaces I8, 18 and radially aligned with the adjacent ends of segmental surfaces IG and I4 of the lower terrace I2; and the oppositely disposed sectoral surfaces 20, 20 arranged in a plane above that of sectoral surfaces I9 and radially aligned with the adjacent ends of segmental surfaces I4 and I5 of the lower ring-like terrace. It will be understood that the main body member I0 is of predetermined dimensions and the adjustmentsin keeping with present conditions are in increments of one-eighth inch, thus affording side bearing heighths of 35/8II,3%II 3%!!- I Each of the sectoral surfaces is provided with an upstanding annular boss or stud 2I; and the sectoral surfaces, which extend from the outer perimeter of the upper terrace portion of the body member I8, terminate at their inner ends short of the center of the member or casting ID, with the center preferably depressed and provided with a suitable bolt receiving Opening 22. 7

It will be understood that the top surfaces of the sectoral portions of casting I8 and the lower surfaces of the casting and its flanges II must be parallel and the casting is to be arranged flush with the top of the truck bolster; and in order to prevent accumulation of moisture beneath the casting, the base of the casting I0 preferably is provided with a number of air admitting and drain outlets at 23.

The top or adjustable member of the bearin is in the nature of cap 24 provided with a smooth top surface 25--with which the side bearing plate 25 on the car bolster contacts-which .is preferably chilled to increase its hardness and thereby afford longer wear.

The cap has a depending annular skirt adapted to enclose or encircle the upstanding hub or cylindrical portion of the bodymember I8; and the lower perimeter of the skirt is provided with two pairs or depending segmental bearing lugs 2! arranged diametrically opposite each other; the lugs of each pair being spaced to provide the sockets 28 therebetween, with the bottoms of these sockets substantially in the same horizontal plane of the major portion ofthe skirt perimeter, see Figure 5. The lower perimeter of the cap-skirt, at prearranged circumferential distances apart, intermediate the lugs 21, is also provided with sockets 23; the sockets 28 and 29, as shown in Figure 3, being substantially sixty degrees apart in keeping with the spacing between the lugs I! of the encircling lower terrace portion on the base member I0, so as to effect interengaging relation therewith.

The inner face of the cap member 24, within the annular skirt, is provided with a pair of sectoral bearing portions 38, 30, arranged diametrically opposite each other and corresponding with thesectoral surfaces I8 "I9 and 29 on the upper face of the base member Ill. The sectoral bearing portions 33, 30 are arranged a predetermined distance above the lower edge of the main portion of the skirt perimeter; with the inner ends of the sectoral portions 30, 30 uniting with the annular boss '31," which is centrally apertured at 32 to register with the center opening 22 in the base member). The sectoral portions 38, 38 are each provided with a socket 33 adapted to receive the upstanding studs 2| on the respective sectoral surfaces on the top of the base member. The central aperture 32 .is countersunk on the upper surface of the cap, as shown in Figures 1, 6 and '7, to receive the head of a bolt 34, which passes through the central hole in the base member and has its lower end provided with a suitable nut 35, or other suitable means, whereby accidental rotation of the bolt i prevented.

The sectoral bearing surfaces and the segmental bearing surfaces surrounding the base member are so correlated that portions of the depending skirt of the cap member will effect bearing relation substantially at right angles to the bearing effected by the sectoral portions of both members. That is to say, when the sectoral portions 30, 30 of the cap member are in register with the lowest sectoral portions I8, I 8 of the base member, the depending segmental lugs 21, 21 of the cap-skirt will be in bearing relation with the lowest diametrically opposite segmental portions I4, I4 disposed about the sides of the base member and the sockets 28 and 29 in the cap-skirt will register with the respective upwardly disposed lugs I1 on the sides of the base member; the lugs I! in conjunction with the studs ill of sectoral portions I 8, I8 (which enter the sockets 33 in the two sectoral portions 30, so of the cap) will prevent rotative movement of the cap (after bolt 34 and its nut 35 have been completely screwed into place) and the bolt 34 relieved of rotative strains; while the studs 2! and the encircling skirt portion of the cap will take care of side thrusts and prevent any relative lateral movement between the base member and the cap member. a

When the cap member 24 isrotated in counterclockwise direction so as to position the two sectoral portions 30, 30 of the cap member on the sectoral portions I9, I9 (with their studs 2| registering with the sockets '33 of the cap member) of the base member, the segmental bearing lugs 21, 21 will have bearing contact with the segmental bearing surfaces I5, I5 on the base member, while the sockets 28, between each pair of bearing lugs 21 will receive the upstanding lugs I] arranged on the segmental surfaces I5, I5 of the base member. such rotation of the cap member, it will be understood, cannot be accomplished before the nut 35 and the bolt 34 have been sufficiently released; and this rotation will permit the cap member 24 to be elevated or raised above the first mentioned position.

Further counter-clockwise rotation (relative to the base member as viewed in Figure 2) of the cap 'member (assuming that the bolt 34 and nut 35 have been released) will position the cap sectoral portions 30, 30 on the highest sectoral portions 20, 20 of the base member with the studs 2|, 21 of portions 20, 20 registering with the sockets 33 in the cap sectors 30, 311; while the depending segmental bearing lugs 21, 21 will have bearing relation with the segmental surfaces l6, It, on the annular shoulder at the sides of the base member and the upstanding lugs l'l, intermediate the ends of segmental bearing surfaces l6, IE, will enter the sockets 23, 28 between the bearing lugs 21., 21; the lower end of the capskirt in all positions of the cap extending beneath the top of the base member and preventing any relative sidewise movement.

The A. A. R. rules define a certain amount of clearance to be maintained between the side bearing plate secured to the car body bolster and the side bearing elements secured on the truck bolster; the degree of clearance being practically determined by the condition of the car center bearings on which the car load is supported, so that when the center bearings are practically unworn the car body at its sides will be supported at an undesirable distance above the truck bolster. In order to meet this condition, the car is placed on a level track and the car body jacked up and blocked into level position and cap member 24 is then rotated about the center bolt until the pair of sectoral surfaces of the cap member register with the high sectoral surfaces 20, 20 of the base member. As the center bearing becomes worn thereby lowering the car body, the required clearance between the wear plate on the body bolster and the top of the side bearing may be obtained by rotating the cap member sufiiciently to position its sectoral portions 30, 30 on the sectoral surfaces l9, IQ of the base member and subsequently onto sectoral surfaces [8, l8 of the base member; the adjustments being made by simply jacking the car body and sufficiently loosening the center bolt and nut to enable the cap member to be raised out of interengaging relation with the studs and side lugs of the base member.

The side bearing unit shown and described is believed to be the best embodiment of the invention, but structural modifications are possible and may be made without, however, departing from the spirit of our invention as defined in the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. A side bearing for railroad cars comprising a base member with an upstanding cylindrical portion provided on its top with a plurality of circumferentially arranged sectoral bearing surfaces arranged in different elevations, the diametrically opposite bearing surfaces being arranged in the same plane, each surface having an upstanding stud; a flat topped cap member, rotatably arranged on the base member, provided with an annular skirt adapted to encircle the cylindrical portion of the base member, the inner face of the cap member having a pair of diametrically arranged sectoral bearing surfaces adapted to seat on the respective bearing surfaces of the base member, said cap sectoral bearing surfaces each having a socket adapted to receive the upstanding studs of the base member bearing surfaces to resist rotative movement of the cap member; and adjustable means for locking the cap member in its adjusted position.

2. A side bearing for railroad cars comprising a pair of members rotatably mounted on each other, one of said members having a plurality of annularly disposed bearing surfaces, one group of said surfaces being arranged on the top of said member and the other group of said surfaces being arranged about the sides of said member, said bearing surfaces being arranged in pairs with each pair disposed in a different horizontal plane; the other member having a pair of bearing surfaces arranged in the same plane adapted to seat on the bearing surfaces of the first mentioned group and having 2. depending pair of bearing surfaces at opposite sides adapted to seat on the bearing surfaces of the second mentioned group; the members having lug and socket interengaging relation with each other to prevent rotative movement.

3. A side bearing for railroad cars comprising a pair of members rotatably mounted on each other, one member having a plurality of bearing surfaces disposed in different horizontal planes with the surfaces opposite each other disposed in the same plane, one group of said surfaces being arranged on top of said member while the other group of said surfaces are arranged about the sides of said member, with the bearing surfaces ina given elevation arranged substantially at right angles to the bearing surfaces in a corre- 0 sponding elevation on the top of said member;

the other member on its lower face having a pair of bearing surfaces arranged in the same plane and diametrically opposite each other adapted to seat on the bearing surfaces of the first mentioned group and provided at its sides with depending bearing surfaces arranged substantially at right angles to said pair of bearing surfaces and adapted to seat on the bearing surfaces of the second mentioned group, the members having lug and socket interengaging relation whereby rotative movement between the members is prevented.

4. A side bearing for railroad cars comprising a pair of members arranged in rotatable relation, one member having a plurality of bearing surfaces disposed in different horizontal planes'and in circular arrangement on the top of said member, with the surfaces diametrically opposite each other disposed in the same plane, a second group of bearing surfaces of different elevations arranged about the sides of the member with the bearing surfaces in a given elevation arranged substantially at right angles to the bearing surfaces in a corresponding elevation'on the top of said member; the other member on its lower face having a pair of bearing surfaces arranged in the same plane and diametrically opposite each other and adapted to seat on the bearing surfaces on the top of the first mentioned member, the last mentioned member at opposite sides being provided with depending bearing surfaces arranged substantially at right angles to said pair of bearing surfaces and adapted to seat on the second group of bearing surfaces, the first member being provided with circumferentially spaced lugs and the second member provided with sockets adapted to receive said lugs and thereby lock the second mentioned member against rotative movement.

EDWARD J. ELLIS.

MALCOLM S. JOHNSON. 

